Saturday, June 25, 2011
Mission Mountain Rodeo Photos
Here are photos from the Mission Mountain Rodeo last night in Polson, make sure you head out to the rodeo again tonight at 7 p.m. at the Polson Fairgrounds. Click on the "Read More" link to see the full gallery of photos.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Lake County fighters duking it out up in Kalispell
(Eric Schwartz/Daily Inter Lake)
Professional fighter Will “Big Medicine” Hammond is both the promoter and main event draw for Ultimate Cage Wars, a mixed martial arts event scheduled for Saturday night at the Majestic Valley Arena.
In those capacities, he’s got more at stake than the 23 other fighters currently slated to hit the cage for a card filled with amateur and professional bouts.
“If we don’t draw 700 people I’m fighting for free,” Hammond said Thursday from his brother’s home in Polson. “If we get 1,200 [people] we’ll announce that night that we’re coming back in October.”
Hammond — along with local trainer Travis Davison, owner of Straight Blast Gym — hopes the night’s theme of Montana fighters taking on counterparts from Washington will help put people in the seats.
Eight of the 12 fights currently on the card feature the state versus state formula. Three of those fights will pit professionals against each other.
“Just to see what the tally is for Washington versus Montana guys will be interesting,” Davison said. “My hunch is that the Montana guys are going to do very well.”
Davison laments the idea that some from outside the state view Montana MMA fighters as “a bunch of untrained country boys.”
He said he’s bringing three quality, well-trained fighters to Saturday’s event, among them 31-year-old Zach Dickson, an undefeated professional who has won his past nine fights.
The Kalispell resident will tangle with Colville, Wash., fighter Roy Bradshaw at a weight of 145 pounds.
“Zach’s actually a pretty big draw in the valley,” Davison said. “And he’ll be going for his 10th win in a row.”
A bout between two newcomers has both Hammond and Davison excited. Columbia Falls product Jarrett Smith will take on 17-year-old Riley Hersey, a fighter trained in Seattle whose parents live in Kalispell.
It will be the first MMA fight for both of them.
“They’re just going to go at it,” Hammond said. “There is going to be some fireworks.”
Likewise, Davison expects the bout to feature unbridled adrenaline and a fast pace as the two will fight at 135 pounds.
The third fighter from Straight Blast Gym is Duran Flaget, who’ll take part in an amateur title bout.
Columbia Falls High School graduate Michael Hader, a standout in wrestling and football, will be fighting Yakima, Wash. resident Bradley Prather in a 155-pound amateur title fight.
Davison said the event is a great opportunity for Montana MMA fighters to face new opponents.
“You can see how the pool just gets limited because we’re not a big metropolitan area,” Davison said. “It’s nice when someone from out of state comes in with a fresh group of fighters.”
Hammond, a 40-year-old native of St. Ignatius, will take on Jared Torgeson in the heavyweight main event.
The last time Hammond brought a stable of fighters from his Seattle-based White Buffalo Warriors team was in 2006 for an event that drew between 1,700 and 1,800 people, he said.
“If we do anything even remotely like that this time we’ll key in and make this a regular thing,” Hammond said.
Doors open at 6 p.m. Saturday and the fights will get under way at 7:30.
Professional fighter Will “Big Medicine” Hammond is both the promoter and main event draw for Ultimate Cage Wars, a mixed martial arts event scheduled for Saturday night at the Majestic Valley Arena.
In those capacities, he’s got more at stake than the 23 other fighters currently slated to hit the cage for a card filled with amateur and professional bouts.
“If we don’t draw 700 people I’m fighting for free,” Hammond said Thursday from his brother’s home in Polson. “If we get 1,200 [people] we’ll announce that night that we’re coming back in October.”
Hammond — along with local trainer Travis Davison, owner of Straight Blast Gym — hopes the night’s theme of Montana fighters taking on counterparts from Washington will help put people in the seats.
Eight of the 12 fights currently on the card feature the state versus state formula. Three of those fights will pit professionals against each other.
“Just to see what the tally is for Washington versus Montana guys will be interesting,” Davison said. “My hunch is that the Montana guys are going to do very well.”
Davison laments the idea that some from outside the state view Montana MMA fighters as “a bunch of untrained country boys.”
He said he’s bringing three quality, well-trained fighters to Saturday’s event, among them 31-year-old Zach Dickson, an undefeated professional who has won his past nine fights.
The Kalispell resident will tangle with Colville, Wash., fighter Roy Bradshaw at a weight of 145 pounds.
“Zach’s actually a pretty big draw in the valley,” Davison said. “And he’ll be going for his 10th win in a row.”
A bout between two newcomers has both Hammond and Davison excited. Columbia Falls product Jarrett Smith will take on 17-year-old Riley Hersey, a fighter trained in Seattle whose parents live in Kalispell.
It will be the first MMA fight for both of them.
“They’re just going to go at it,” Hammond said. “There is going to be some fireworks.”
Likewise, Davison expects the bout to feature unbridled adrenaline and a fast pace as the two will fight at 135 pounds.
The third fighter from Straight Blast Gym is Duran Flaget, who’ll take part in an amateur title bout.
Columbia Falls High School graduate Michael Hader, a standout in wrestling and football, will be fighting Yakima, Wash. resident Bradley Prather in a 155-pound amateur title fight.
Davison said the event is a great opportunity for Montana MMA fighters to face new opponents.
“You can see how the pool just gets limited because we’re not a big metropolitan area,” Davison said. “It’s nice when someone from out of state comes in with a fresh group of fighters.”
Hammond, a 40-year-old native of St. Ignatius, will take on Jared Torgeson in the heavyweight main event.
The last time Hammond brought a stable of fighters from his Seattle-based White Buffalo Warriors team was in 2006 for an event that drew between 1,700 and 1,800 people, he said.
“If we do anything even remotely like that this time we’ll key in and make this a regular thing,” Hammond said.
Doors open at 6 p.m. Saturday and the fights will get under way at 7:30.
Morning Coffee... Jimmer goes to Sacramento
The NBA Draft last night was largely forgettable except for this pleasant make out session. Oh and Jimmer is going to be a Sacramento King. Why am not talking about the No. 1 pick Kylie Irving? Because the guy played 11 collegiate basketball games and analysts have approached him with about as much gusto as Kate Moss at a Golden Corral.
While anyone of this picks can turn out to be a superstar, the chances are that won't happen. This is literally a dumpster fire of a draft when you want immediate-impact guys.
But at least we had Jimmer.
And now on to headlines...
Ron Artest changes his name to "Metta World Peace"
The funny thing about this story is that does this really any shock anyone? I approached this headline like it was a Mariners-Red Sox box score. "Ron is changing his name to something stupid, oh ho hum, where is the NFL strike negotiation stories?"
Having blue eyes caused batting problems?
Josh Hamilton says his blue eyes cause him to have a horrible batting average during the day. Something tells me he's either full of crap or a vampire.
Got HEEEEM! Might be the best catchphrase ever.
I'm going to do this every time I pass someone on the highway.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Morning Coffee... This is one terrible NBA Draft
Kyrie Irving will be the No. 1 pick tonight in the NBA Draft, which is weirdly being held in New Jersey instead of it's normal location of Madison Square Gardens. It's fitting, as this may be the most blah draft in years.
There's going to be no franchise player that causes fans to go "Aha! We got him" so if you're really bored tonight, I might recommend just switching over the Oprah Channel or whatever it's called. If you still want to give the draft a try, read this beforehand so you're up-to-date.
Here are the headlines...
Phillie Phanatic gets hit with baseball, goes to hospital
I wonder if he went to a mascot hospital?
The Cleveland Browns are interested in Terrelle Pryor
Somebody needs to stop the Browns from torturing their fans. Getting an immature, scandal-ridden quarterback from Ohio State? Oh sure that will fix things.
US beats Panama 1-0 to advance to Gold Cup Final
Huzzah! We beat Panama in soccer... a country we helped create over 100 years ago. Yep, the US place as a soccer power is complete now.
Mission Valley Mariners vs. Mavs, Bucs Photos
Here are some photos from the Mission Valley Mariners A team's games against the Missoula Mavs and Bitterroot Bucs. Click on the "read more" to see the full gallery.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Morning Coffee... the Mariners are up to their old tricks
Of course the Mariners would do this. After showing a lot of promise this season, they literally fell apart last night against the Washington Nationals. Seattle blew a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth in what could be one of those season momentum killing losses. Or at least that's how everybody wants it to seem.
And with that, headlines...
MSU dismisses Thomas
The Flathead High School graduate had a chance to play football for the Bobcats but that's dashed after he made and brought pot-laced brownies to a graduation party. How the heck did this kid get a 4.0 GPA?
Cuban wants to buy the Dodgers
Which would quite possibly cause all the other Major League Baseball owners to revolt.
Rory McIlroy Superstar?
Golf stardom worked for Tiger Woods didn't it? Oh wait...
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Mariners B vs. Libby Loggers photos
Here are photos taken from the Mission Valley Mariners B team doubleheader last Friday against Libby, taken by Lake County Leader editor Ali Bronsdon.
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